Book picks similar to
The Dare by Elda Minger


romance
contemporary
contemporary-romance
chick-lit

Love at First Sight


Lori Wilde - 2013
    Lori Wilde welcomes us to Cupid, where every wish for love comes true...Natalie McCleary couldn't believe her eyes-a lean-muscled, darkly tanned, nearly-naked man stood in her path…and then it hit her: love. Everyone always told her it'd hit like a thunderbolt, and she never believed them. But now she knew: practical, sensible Natalie was head over heels in love-with a stranger.But ex-Navy SEAL Dade Vega wasn't about to be a stranger for long. He'd ridden into Cupid on his motorcycle, vowing to keep a promise he'd made to a military buddy. But a single glimpse at Natalie-soaking wet and unexpectedly tempting-changed his life forever.But how can he offer her is love, when he can't even promise to stay in one place for longer than a week?

Squeeze Play


Kate Angell - 2006
    Whenever she broke up with someone, she could call him, and wherever he was, he'd show up for a few days to "console" her.Years later, Risk, now a team captain of a World Series-winning baseball team, returns to their hometown of Frostproof, Florida, for a benefit. He has seen eccentric Jacy every six months or so for years, and he now plans on asking her to marry him. Jacy has never had anyone in her bed but Risk, her true love. All those boyfriends were just a way to keep him in her life. But now she is afraid of changing the status quo.No fan of the genre should miss Angell's surefire romance, and all readers who enjoy light fare will like this amusing and sexy tale and its terrific, likable characters.

Rebel Pilot, Texas Doctor


Eve Gaddy - 2018
    Tobi Robinson returns to Whiskey River, Travis Sullivan is the only person to recognize that the smokin' hot babe at the gala is actually his high school tomboy buddy. Time away has changed them both. Tobi, the prospective business major, became a doctor, while Travis, his pro baseball career ended by injury, converted his passion for flying into a charter flight business and flight school. The easy friendship they enjoyed in high school soon deepens into desire and then love. But Tobi didn’t turn to medicine by chance—a horrific accident has left her unable to tolerate even approaching an airplane. As strongly as Travis draws her, Tobi isn’t sure she can ever trust her heart to a pilot. Can Travis convince the woman he’s discovered he can’t live without that their love can conquer every trauma?

Marital Bitch


J.C. Emery - 2013
    He’s crass. She wanted out of South Boston. He never wanted to leave. She keeps him at a distance. He refuses to leave her side. Together, Colleen Frasier and Bradley Patrick are ridiculous and juvenile. Apart, they’re just plain miserable.While Detective Bradley Patrick was keeping the streets of South Boston safe, Colleen Frasier was busy litigating late into the evening and admiring the view from her high-rise condo downtown. Her life was perfect– sort of. She spent too much time drinking her high-priced lattes and acquiring an impressive shoe collection and before she knew it she was 35 and time for all that other stuff she wanted, like a husband and children, was quickly passing her by. And then there’s that longtime rift that’s kept her and her childhood best friend, Bradley Patrick, at odds for over a decade.All of that changes on Colleen’s 35th birthday when she receives a surprise marriage proposal from Brad. One night. One birthday wish. Trouble is, he brings out the worst in Colleen. She can’t possibly marry him, can she? She’s never been very good at saying “no” to him, either. What was supposed to end the next day with an annulment takes on a life of its own when video of the wedding ends up on the internet and their families are overjoyed by the news. Fearing the shame of her Catholic family, Colleen has a proposal of her own: pretend the marriage is for real– and Brad is all too willing to play the doting husband.

Boomerang


Noelle August - 2014
    Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret. Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters. What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer. As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?

Stuck on You


Patti Berg - 2003
    Of course, real trouble bubbles over the day an enigmatic stranger named Logan Wolfe shows up in town. The outsider's one hunk of a guy, with a smile that could knock a redhead off her sky-high heels. But when a mysterious woman literally drops dead at Scarlett's feet and the town's wealthiest widow disappears, suspicion falls on the secretive man. Scarlett is positive Logan's up to something -- but is he out to scam the people in town, or steal her heart?The last thing Logan wants is a screwball sleuth dogging his footsteps and digging into his past. The ex-cop came to Plentiful to escape the madness of Las Vegas and to ditch bad memories, not to have some zany redhead with a man-killer body mess with his peace of mind or history that's better off buried. But Logan can't help admiring Scarlett's spirit -- or the gold stars dangling from her belly button ring. And when her wacky investigation takes a surprising turn, Logan finds himself glued to Scarlett's side, helping her look for clues, keeping her out of trouble -- and maybe falling in love ...

The Guestbook


Andrea Hurst - 2012
    The lush and majestic setting of the Pacific Northwest calls to her and offers a place of refuge and perhaps renewal. Her grandmother has passed away, leaving the Madrona Island Bed & Breakfast Inn to Lily. Left with only an old guestbook as her guide–a curious book full of letters, recipes, and glimpses into her family history–Lily is determined to embrace her newfound independence and recreate herself, one page at a time. With the help of the quirky island residents she has befriended, she slowly finds the strength to seek out happiness on her own terms. But as soon as she has sworn off men and is standing on her own two feet, Lily meets Ian, the alluring artist who lives next door, and her new life is suddenly thrown off course. The last thing she wants to do right now is to open her heart to another man. Ultimately, Lily must decide if it’s worth giving up her soul for security or risking everything to follow her heart.

How to Misbehave


Ruthie Knox - 2013
    . . with all her heart. As program director for the Camelot Community Center, Amber Clark knows how to keep her cool. That is, until a sudden tornado warning forces her to take shelter in a darkened basement with a hunk of man whose sex appeal green lights her every fantasy. With a voice that would melt chocolate, he asks her if she is okay. Now she's hot all over and wondering: How does a girl make a move? Building contractor Tony Mazzara was just looking to escape nature's fury. Instead, he finds himself all tangled up with lovely Amber. Sweet and sexy, she's ready to unleash her wild side. Their mutual desire reaches a fever pitch and creates a storm of its own--unexpected, powerful, and unforgettable. But is it bigger than Tony can handle? Can he let go of painful memories and let the force of this remarkable woman show him a future he never dreamed existed? Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Along Came Trouble, Flirting with Disaster, and Room at the Inn.

The Checklist


Addie Woolridge - 2021
    Gorgeous boyfriend? Check. Ambitions derailed by an insecure boss? Sigh—check.Things were going a little too well for Dylan Delacroix. After upstaging her boss on a big account, she gets dispatched to the last place she wants to be: her hometown, Seattle. There, she must use her superstar corporate-consulting skills to curb the worst impulses of an impossibly eccentric tech CEO—if she doesn’t, she’s fired.The fun doesn’t stop there: Dylan must also negotiate a ceasefire in the endless war between her bohemian parents and the straitlaced neighbors. Adding to the chaos is a wilting relationship with her boyfriend and a blossoming attraction to the neighbors’ smoking-hot son.Suddenly Dylan has a million checklists, each a mile long. As personal and professional pressures mount, she finds it harder and harder to stay on track. Having always relied on her ability to manage the world around her, Dylan’s going to need a new plan. She may be down, but she’s definitely not out.

Sweet Baklava


Debby Mayne - 2011
    Her soap and candle shop flourishes, and her friendship with the Papadopoulos family gives her the love and support she never got from her own family.The only thing missing is a romance--or in the grand hopes of the Papadopoulos family, a proper marriage. Preferably with Nick, their favorite son, currently serving in the Air Force. Paula, however, has doubts. After all, he's been gone a long time and loves flying. Their lives have grown apart. Would he still feel anything for her?When Nick comes home on leave, sparks fly, and not just with Paula. Nick's father wants him home, helping with the family sponge-diving business. His mother wants him back in the family, back in church. Nick just wants Paula . . . and the Air Force.So who's going to give in first? And what will it mean for their love and future?

Beauty and the Geek


Sidney Bristol - 2016
    Monster. Disgusting. Gross. It's all he's ever known. Relationships suck when his date won't even go out in public with him, which is why he hasn't bothered. That is until her. The woman on the internet who gets his every quirk. He's hooked on a person he's never met. The way she gets his jokes, the uninhibited sexuality and…just talking to her. She's everything he's ever wanted, only she's a stranger. Unless he can convince her they should unplug and take their virtual relationship off-line. Tamara Roh has heard all the insults from slut to whore and they bore her. She refuses to let other people define her. Life's tough in the gaming industry, and if she can't handle a few insults the haters will chew her up and spit her out. Her only haven is with her friends and in one very explicit chat room. On-line she can be anyone she wants to, even the normal girl-next-door who just happens to get off on dirty talk, erotic gifs and video chats from the neck down. She might not be able to trust guys in real life to see past the Hot Asian Girlfriend stereotype, but with her internet beau anonymity is her safety net. The only problem is…she's falling for a man who thinks she's someone else.

An Unlikely Match


Barbara Dunlop - 2014
    He’s got all the confidence in the world where it comes to applied physics, but he’s never been the guy who gets the girl. Cheerleader Amelia Camden has sworn off boyfriends, focusing instead on her budding acting career. But when her nerdy, next door neighbor passes up his high school reunion, party enthusiast Amelia is determined to change his mind. Wanting his former classmates to appreciate Morgan the way she does, as a brilliant, compassionate, engaging man, she goads him into a haircut, a great suit and a pair of contact lenses. Morgan plays along with the sexy Amelia. Who wouldn’t? But when her flattery turns to flirtation, he knows it’s all part of the act.

Take My Breath Away


Christie Ridgway - 2014
    So when a good-looking guy with plenty of cash rents one of her half-repaired vacation cabins, she figures he's just what the handyman ordered. But when a late-winter storm blows through, it takes down some trees, her roof and then…her self-control. Even though she's been burned before by a wealthy passer-through, she can't stay away from the brooding but gorgeous stranger in the bungalow next door. Former teen idol turned Hollywood exec Ryan Hamilton wants a private place in which to endure his very personal heartbreak. Finally, at this rustic mountain cabin, he has all the seclusion one man could want—until sparks begin to fly with his sexy, formerly chilly landlady. By the time the weather dies down, they're both hot, bothered and certain they're still wrong for each other. But there's no telling how they'll face the new storm brewing on the horizon…

Carolina Home


Virginia Kantra - 2012
    Single dad and fishing boat captain Matt Fletcher deferred his own dreams to support his innkeeper parents and build a future for his sixteen-year-old son. Matt has learned to weather life's storms by steering a steady emotional course...and keeping a commitment-free approach to love.Newcomer Allison Carter came to Dare Island to escape the emotional demands of her wealthy family. The young teacher aims to build a life here, to make a lasting place for herself. She doesn't want to be another Woman Who Once Dated Matt Fletcher. It's both tempting and dangerous to believe she can be something more.Then Matt's brother Luke makes a sudden return home, with a child of his own--and a request that will change all their lives. With a child's welfare at stake, Matt must turn to Allison to teach him to let go of the past, open his eyes...and follow his heart.

Swan


Katherine Hole - 2013
    Plump, plain and past her sell by date, happiness and hope were no longer part of her vocabulary. But one day like a bolt from the blue, destiny delivers a massive dose of compensation in the form of David Powell, her strange and elusive neighbour. From the moment they meet, Madeline is plunged into a world of excitement and intrigue where nothing is what it seems. This classic reversal of fortune tale reminds us that ultimately life is a mystery, perfectly able to demolish and reconfigurate even the most hopeless situations.